(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a collapsible, portable step stool, and in particular to a step stool that includes a storage compartment useful for storage of a wipes container.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Folding or collapsible step stools are manufactured in various configurations, depending upon their end use, the height of the stool, etc. One form of step stool used to increase the user""s height by about a foot or so is comprised of a platform upon which the user stands and folding legs having inner ends connected to the ends of the platform. Each leg has a folded position beneath the platform and an extended position in which the leg projects downward and often slightly outward. In the extended position, the distal ends of the legs rest against the floor or other support surface. Normally, a stop prevents the leg from moving outward beyond the desired extended position. For instance, a part of the platform may engage a part of the leg to prevent further outward movement.
Step stools are often used by toddlers and small children to reach the height needed for use of countertops, shelves, lavatories, and the like without the assistance of a parent or other adult. While the stools are used in the home, they also have application when traveling and away from the home. For example, small children often need to use public restrooms, which are designed for adults. Without a stool, the child requires the assistance of an adult to xe2x80x9cboostxe2x80x9d them to the necessary height for use of the lavatory or other facility.
When using a public restroom, it is also desirable to provide disposable cleaning wipes for use by the child. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cwipesxe2x80x9d is intended to mean a disposable cloth, e.g. a synthetic, nonwoven cloth, that may or may not be impregnated with alcohol, soap or other cleanser. Normally, these wipes are sold in dispenser boxes or containers. Carrying of both a step stool and a wipes container, e.g., in a diaper bag, can be cumbersome, especially with all of the other materials that the parent must carry when traveling with a toddler or small child.
Thus, there is a need for a compact step stool that can be easily carried, with the step stool also providing storage for a wipes container.
Generally, the present invention addresses this need by providing a collapsible step stool having a wipes storage compartment. The present step stool is comprised of a platform and a pair of pivotal legs that are movable between a folded position beneath the platform for transportation and storage of the stool, and an extended position to support the platform above the floor or other surface.
More specifically, the step stool platform is comprised of a generally rectangular upper wall having an upper surface upon which the user stands, and side and end walls, collective referred to as peripheral walls, extending downward from the side and end edges of the upper wall, forming an open bottom container storage cavity beneath the upper wall. At least one end wall, and preferably each end wall, includes an access opening through which a wipes container can be inserted into and removed from the platform cavity. The access opening has width and height dimensions generally corresponding to the width and height dimensions of a wipes container to be stored in the platform cavity.
In order to facilitate insertion and removal of wipes containers into and from the cavity, and to support the container within the cavity, the stool also includes a removable shelf that is slidable through the opening in an end wall. Bottom wall sections extend inwardly from the lower edges of the end walls to provide support for the shelf. The shelf preferably includes at least one port or opening through which wipes can be removed from the container without removing the container from the platform cavity.
Each of the stool legs is comprised of a center section extending substantially the width of the platform, and side sections that extend inwardly from the side edges of the center section. The upper ends of the side sections extend upwardly beyond the center section and are pivotally joined to the outer ends of the platform side walls. The length of each side wall is approximately one-half the length of the platform. As a result, when the legs are in their closed position, the legs are folded flat against the bottom of the platform. In the closed position, the leg center sections are parallel to the platform upper wall, and the leg side sections are positioned along the outer surfaces of the platform side walls.
When in the open, extended position, each leg extends downward and slightly outward from the platform so that downward pressure on the platform urges the legs outward. Stops on the platform formed by the lower surfaces of the bottom wall segments engage the upper edges of the leg center sections, preventing movement of the legs beyond a predetermined position. The lower edge of each leg center section includes a cut-out. When the legs are in the closed position, the cut-out sections of the two legs join to form an access opening aligned with a port in the shelf, and thus providing access into the wipe container for removal of wipes, even when the stool is closed for storage and transportation. If desired, an identification label can be attached to the exterior surface of one of the side walls.